Mustangs tune up for league

St. Vincent got a needed win heading into North Central League II play as the Mustangs held off visiting El Molino, 52-38, in Yarborough Gym on Tuesday night. The Mustangs’ game-long advantage mushroomed to double digits most of the way, but they couldn’t completely shake the pesky Lions, who chopped the difference to 46-38 late in the fourth stanza.

Baskets by Justin Fahy and Nick Murphy helped St. Vincent pull away again in the final minutes. The basket by Fahy came on a terrific lead pass by teammate Michael Davis that was lobbed high enough to allow the speeding senior shooting guard to bank it in on the move.

Fahy had an outstanding scoring game for the Mustangs, knocking in 26 points. He filled up the stat sheet by grabbing his 10th rebound in the final seconds for a double-double. Several of his shots were twisting jumpers when he appeared to be off balance when he let them fly.

Coach Lance Phillips’ club improved to 5-7 for the season heading into NCL II play Wednesday night as it was scheduled to host dangerous Rincon Valley Christian. Results of that game were not available at press time.

At the beginning of the Tuesday contest, El Molino broke out an odd-man full-court press that was quickly dissected by fast return passes, and accompanied hurried shots at the basket by the streaking Mustangs. The big problem was that St. Vincent missed three bunnies ahead of Lion defenders as the game moved along.

Phillips was able to clear his bench late in the second quarter when the Mustangs rolled to a 23-10 advantage. With a scheduled league opener the next night, things seemed almost perfect when the entire second five got significant playing time to open the final period.

El Molino did not cooperate as the Lions rattled off six unanswered points to force the Mustang starters back into action. Starting forward Tino Saragusa got caught awkwardly off the ground during the next sequence, and he had to be helped to the sideline with a shoulder injury. The intense senior came back to the bench for the final minutes, but he did not return to the floor.

Senior guard Kahleo Daily had a strong second half for El Molino, finding creases in the St. Vincent defense for successful short running shots. Daily rimmed in 11 of his team-leading 13 points in the period, but the Lions slid to 2-8 for the season. Forward Shane Spellman (6-4) had a team-high nine rebounds to go along with nine points for the Lions.

Center Jordan Kerkvielet (6-9) was not in uniform for the Lions as he was wearing a boot cast on an injured ankle.

Davis had a solid floor game along with seven points in helping break the press for St, Vincent with four assists and some good looks in passing ahead to his Mustang teammates. The senior left hander was coming off a season-high 18 points as St. Vincent got past the Bay School of San Francisco 47-32 in the final game of the holiday tournament in Oakland. Coach Phillips admitted that it was “not a well-played game.”

Muphey finished with eight points and six rebounds for the Mustangs who rotated their entire roster into the game.

El Molino captured Tuesday’s junior varsity game 34-30.